English Derby winner Harzand added a second Classic to his record when he won the Group 1 Irish Derby at the Curragh in Ireland overnight.

The son of Sea The Stars provided his trainer Dermot Weld with a first English Derby triumph earlier this month when he comfortably had the measure of Aidan O’Brien’s Idaho, but had to dig deep this time to beat the same horse by a half-length.

Weld described Harzand’s performance to complete the English-Irish Derby double and provide him with a third Irish derby success as one of the most satisfying achievements in his career and said the obvious target for the horse now was the Arc de Triomphe in October.

“It was a very special day,” Weld said.

“This was a better race than at Epsom because both those horses have improved from Epsom and it’s typical of three-year-old colts at this time of the year, the really good ones tend to just get better and better and those two horse quickened all the way down the straight in really good fashion.

“We’ve had a lot of minor problems with this horse’s foot.

“He had to go on a course of antibiotics the week after his last race and you never know how much that was going to take out of him but we were happy with his blood picture and his general appearance and today was his day.

“Now it’s forwards and upwards and I will speak with his highness (owner, His Highness Aga Khan) but obviously the Arc de Triomphe will be his target.”

To Admin.
HH The Agakhan is a owner of few prestigous stud farms which breeds and trains Thoroughbred horses.
So horses under the banner of the stud farm and owner colours worn by rider do participate in races worldwide.
So the title of 'Horse racing' give very narrow definition and some ignorant may relate it to word gambling.
I feel a suitable title can be 'THOROUGHBRED HORSE BREEDING".
and by default horse racing become a sub part of it and the word gambling has NO near co relation to this word and title.

Harzand completed the English-Irish Derby double when taking the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Classic at the Curragh as the 4-6 favourite.

The Aga Khan-owned colt had to overcome a morning injury scare on the way to Epsom glory earlier this month, but had no such problem with the short trip from his trainer Dermot Weld's stable at Headquarters.

In the race itself, however, Harzand had to show all the qualities of a top-class thoroughbred as his old rival Idaho did not go down without a fight.

The leading pair pulled clear in the final quarter-mile, with Harzand asserting close home in the hands of Pat Smullen to win by half a length.

Stellar Mass was three-and-a-quarter lengths away in third and Ed Dunlop's British raider, the supplemented Red Verdon, just behind in fourth after putting in good late work.

Harzand's pacemaking stablemate Ebediyin did his job to ensure a good gallop and was allowed an easy lead.

Idaho's stable companion Port Douglas followed him in second place, with Harzand hard on their heels.

Smullen decided to use Harzand's stamina to the full by taking the lead as soon as they turned for home.

But the Aidan O'Brien-trained Idaho, who had finished third behind Harzand at Epsom, soon ranged alongside under Ryan Moore and a thrilling duel ensued.

The two protagonists quickly put daylight between their rivals and there was nothing between them until Harzand proved the stronger close home to become the 18th horse to complete the Derby double.

Harzand is the fifth horse to win both the English and Irish Derbies for the Aga Khan after Shergar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kahyasi (1989) and Sinndar (2000).

It was Weld's third win in the Irish Derby after previous triumphs for Zagreb in 1996 and Grey Swallow in 2004, and a second for Smullen after riding the latter.

"I knew Aidan would have his horse better than at Epsom so I knew our horse had to be better than at Epsom to win again," said the Rosewell House handler.

"He ran a magnificent race. He showed the speed that he has today. People were saying he didn't have speed, well you saw it today.

"Those two horses really picked up and quickened. Idaho is a high-class horse, he's always been that and he was at his best today. It was a great day, a great ride - a special day. It was a proper horse race.

"He'll have a good break now and we'll train him for the Arc."

Weld had been somewhat guarded on his chance at the beginning of the week and added: "I was concerned because he had a very hard race at Epsom. We always knew he was very tough, but he had to be 110% today.

"This is a very, very special race and I've been enjoying it since I was a child. I've been fortunate enough to win it three times now."

The Aga Khan said: "This horse is very good. It's a wonderful family and we checked him with all our mares and he'll mate very well with them, so we're looking forward to when he goes to stud and we'll be right behind him.

"Things are shaping up very well. I'm not sure we really know his limits. Neither at Epsom nor here, I don't think we've seen the best of this horse, he can do more."

Smullen said: "He's such a great horse, he's got such courage and determination. Ryan came with one good determined run, I needed this horse to dig deep for me and he did - how good is he?

"I don't think I've ever ridden such a courageous horse. I just can't get over his courage in the last half-furlong.

"This matches Epsom, in front of our home crowd. The pressure was on and we pulled it off. He's a dual Derby winner now.

"You can give horses good rides, bad rides - but when they're as good as this lad and they're as determined as this horse it just makes it easy. There's no knowing where this horse will end up.

"He's so tough and he's not just tough, he's got pace. He's a very, very good horse and I'd love to think he'd be an Arc horse."

When Harzand came roaring down the Epsom track in the Derby back in June, he ended a 16 year long wait for the Aga Khan to recapture this esteemed prize.

Nothing ever appears to be straightforward with this dual Derby winner, his participation only hours before the Derby was thrown up into the air due to a foot injury but this brave battle hardened colt was patched up and the rest, as they say, is history.

He then duly went on to win the Irish Derby, again battling to victory, but lost his unbeaten run when he finished down the field in the Irish Champion Stakes last month, although one can excuse that run as he was struck into, which resulted in injury and that led to another 'will he or won't he' scenario.

We know now, Harzand will definitely run at Chantilly on Sunday and any concerns or issues anyone has about the ground, fitness or the draw can be stored safely away as everything appears to be in order, even the heavens have opened up at Chantilly as I write, which will be music to Harzand's ears!

There's no denying the fact that this Sea The Stars colt will give another good account of himself in the Arc on Sunday, and his pacemaker Vedevani will ensure a true run race.

Yes, he will have to face some seasoned individuals that are perhaps are little more talented than himself but the beauty of this colt is his robust character, he never knows when to give up, has a heart and courage of a lion, couple that with his ability to stay calm and switch off during the race and you have colt that can overcome any amount of obstacles.
All of which should stand him in good stead as he aims to end his owner's barren spell in this event.

Click below for Noorani Family leaving the event at the end of he day. Here in this 10 sec. clip (20MB) you will see Mowlana Hazar Imam, Prince Aly Muhammad, Princess Salwa, Princess Zahra and her daughter.

H. H. The Aga Khan at the 2017 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe held this year at the Chantilly Hippodrome because Longchamps is under renovation. Princess Salwa and Zahra Aga Khan also attended with her daughter

Queen Elizabeth II has earned over $8 million in horse racing
The Queen's horses have 451 victories since 1988

Posted: Oct 25, 2017 07:57 AM CDT

(CNN) - Queen Elizabeth II has won over £6.7 million ($8.8m) from horse racing prize money in the past three decades, new figures from the British Horse Racing Authority show.

The Queen's thoroughbreds have chalked up 451 victories from 2,815 runs since 1988 when records became readily available, giving her a win percentage of 15.9 percent.

Last year was the monarch's most profitable in recent decades, with her horses earning £557,650 ($731,413).

And 2017 has proved a similarly good year, with 20 victories on the flat bringing in £413,641 ($542,531) so far.

All in all, it makes the 91-year-old the 11th most successful owner in flat racing in that thirty-year period.

Elizabeth II was given a Shetland pony aged four and has had a keen interest in horses from an early age.

As the Queen grew older she became an accomplished rider, often attending official ceremonies on horseback.

She inherited several of her finest thoroughbreds following the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952.

And she was named British flat racing Champion Owner in 1954 and 1957.

With victories at the St. Leger Stakes, Epsom Oaks, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the only one of the five British Classic Races that eludes her is the Epsom Derby.

The BHA Owners Championship -- awarded to the owner who has won the most prize-money on Britain's turf and all-weather tracks throughout the season -- is currently topped by Godolphin, whose leading earner is Irish bay colt Ribchester.

The Queen's best runner this season is Dartmouth, trained by Sir Michael Stoute.

Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on this story.